Back River Project
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Back River Project 2016 Annual Report For INAC Land Use License N2016C0011 March 2017 Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Sabina Environmental Policy ........................................................................................... 1 1.2 Site Location and Description .......................................................................................... 1 1.3 Associated Permits, Licences and Authorizations ........................................................... 2 2.0 SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................ 3 2.1 Goose Lake ....................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 George Lake ..................................................................................................................... 4 3.0 WORK PLAN ...................................................................................................................... 4 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES ......................................................................................... 6 5.0 WILDLIFE ........................................................................................................................... 6 5.1 Goose Lake ....................................................................................................................... 6 5.2 George Lake ..................................................................................................................... 6 6.0 INUIT EMPLOYEES .......................................................................................................... 6 7.0 COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS .................................................................................. 7 8.0 ANNUAL INSPECTION ACTIVITIES ............................................................................. 7 9.0 SITE VISITS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.............................................................. 7 10.0 SITE PHOTOS..................................................................................................................... 8 11.0 TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS ......................................................................................... 9 12.0 HELICOPTER TOUCH-DOWNS .................................................................................... 10 13.0 PROGRESSIVE RECLAMATION WORK ..................................................................... 10 14.0 PROJECT TERMS AND CONDITIONS ......................................................................... 10 Page 2 of 12 Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. Back River Project Annual Report N2016C0011 2016 Annual Report 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report summarizes 2016 activities completed by Sabina related to land use permit #N2016C0011. 1.1 Sabina Environmental Policy Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. takes very seriously its responsibility to act as a steward of the environment. In meeting this responsibility, Sabina acts to: Ensure that we design our activities and operate in compliance with all environmental regulations to minimize our impact on the environment. Promote responsibility and accountability of managers, employees and contractors to the protection of the environment, and make environmental performance an important factor in the management/contractor review process. Provide resources, personnel and training to enhance the capacity of management, employees and contractors to implement programs and policies to protect the environment. Communicate openly with employees, contractors, local stakeholders and government on our environmental protection and sustainability programs and performance and address concerns pertaining to potential hazards and impacts. Promote the development and implementation of systems and technologies to minimize risks to the environment. Establish and maintain appropriate emergency response plans for all activities and facilities Maintain a self-monitoring program at each facility to ensure compliance and to proactively address plans to correct potential deficiencies. Work cooperatively with government agencies, local communities and contractors to develop and enhance systems and technologies to improve environmental and sustainability practices. Encourage all employees, contractors or stakeholders to report to management any known or suspicious departure from this policy or its related procedures. 1.2 Site Location and Description The Back River exploration project is located in western Nunavut, south of Bathurst Inlet within the Slave Structural Province. It lies approximately 525 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife and 400 kilometres south of Cambridge Bay, NU (Figure 1). The project area is within the zone of continuous permafrost, with the primary camp at Goose Lake and a satellite camp at George Lake. Coordinates for the camps are as follows: Goose 65º32’ north 106º25’ west (UTM zone 13, 434034E, 7269928N) George 65º55’ north 107º27’ west (UTM zone 13, 388032E, 7313438N) • 1 of 10 • Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. Back River Project Annual Report N2016C0011 2016 Annual Report The Goose camp is located on the slope of the western bank of Goose Lake and consists of a 158-person camp constructed for support services directed towards exploration activities (Figures 2 and 3). The lakeshore is approximately 50 m toward the north and the regional topographical gradient surrounding the camp ranges from 2% to 6% towards the north. The camp is approximately 500 metres (m) in length from east to west and 100 m wide from north to south, covering an area of 50,000 m2. A small but visible creek runs east northeast on the eastern side of the camp. The camp facilities are located on natural tundra underlain by a of layer overlying silt-sand material. The George camp is located at the southern end of George Lake and improvements were made during the 2012 season including construction to improve the camp to support a 60 person camp and exploration drill program (Figure 4). Additional improvements in 2013 included the construction of two helicopter pads and a berm for the gray water discharge. Regionally this exploration area lies within the Takijuq Lake Uplands ecoregion, which covers the south central portion of the West Kitikmeot region. This area is made up of broad, sloping uplands, plateaus, and lowlands (WKRLUP, 2005). Much of the area is largely composed of unvegetated rock outcrops and boulder fields. The landscape is characterized by higher elevations, which are moderated by open water during the late summer and early fall. The exploration properties occur within the Bathurst Inlet-Burnside Watershed and the area is dotted by thousands of lakes, collected by streams or by one of the major rivers in the area (e.g., Burnside, Mara). The exploration area lies within two geological provinces; the Slave Province and the Bear Province. The Slave Geological Province is underlain by granite and related gneisses, as well as by sedimentary and volcanic rocks (more than 2.5 billion years old). The Bear Geological Province contains mainly volcanic and sedimentary rocks ranging in age from about two billion years. The mean annual temperature is approximately -10.5ºC with a summer mean of 6ºC and a winter mean of -26.5ºC. The mean annual precipitation range is 200-300 mm (Environment Canada website). The ground is covered in snow from late October to June most years. Lakes are ice-covered from approximately October to June most years, with ice thickness reaching depths of at least 2.0 metres. 1.3 Associated Permits, Licences and Authorizations Sabina is actively exploring the Goose and George area under valid land use, quarry, and water permits seen in Tables 1 and 2 respectively. • 2 of 10 • Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. Back River Project Annual Report N2016C0011 2016 Annual Report Table 1. List of Licences and Permits issued for Goose Project Issuing Permit No. Permit Name Expiry Agency N2016C0011 Mineral Exploration 2021-10-26 INAC KTL304C017 Goose Exploration 2017-12-12 KIA 2BE-GOO1520 Goose Camp 2020-02-18 NWB KTP11Q001 Rock quarry area 2017-12-12 KIA Sand/gravel quarry area KTP12Q001 2017-12-12 KIA adjacent to airstrip KTL204C012 Boulder exploration 2017-12-12 KIA KTL204C020 Boot exploration 2017-12-12 KIA Table 2. List of Licences and Permits issued for George Project Permit No. Permit Name Expiry Issuing Agency N2016C0011 Mineral Exploration 2021-10-26 INAC KTL304C018 George Exploration 2017-12-12 KIA KTP12Q002 George Quarry 2017-12-12 KIA 2BE-GEO1520 George Camp 2020-05-29 NWB 2.0 SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES 2.1 Goose Lake During the 2016 season, planes arriving in and out of the Goose Lake property utilized both the ice and all-weather strip during the March 15th to April 22nd opening as well as solely the all-weather airstrip during both the June 14th to June 29th and August 16th to 31st openings. Personnel arrived at the Goose Lake site on March 15th to open the camp and prepare the ice strip for larger aircraft. By March 26th all work crews had arrived at Goose with drilling activities initiated. Once the ice airstrip was developed enough to receive freighter aircraft, 737 type aircraft were used to deliver 13 bulk fuel and 1 bulk supply freight load to Goose site. The camp can accommodate a maximum of 158 people, however, the average daily occupancy throughout the 2016 season was 16 people with a peak of 41 people in the March/April opening. The Goose Lake Quarry